


Spoiling for a Fight

by gammacorvi



Series: Of Friendship and Wormholes [6]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-28
Updated: 2016-11-28
Packaged: 2018-09-02 20:44:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8682763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gammacorvi/pseuds/gammacorvi
Summary: A Pon Farr story.





	

Spock is in the lab poring over data from the ‘circular’ wormhole. How exactly the wormhole works is still a mystery. Spock is not even sure there _is_ such a thing as a circular wormhole. Chekov, though, displays a remarkable certainty in his observations and was working on a simulation, when he got called away to the bridge.

They are currently patrolling the border of the Neutral Zone. Things have been uneventful and, as the Captain claims, mind-bogglingly boring.

Spock is grateful for the reprieve, but the longer they are sailing along this particular stretch of space, the more his anxiety rises. Trouble is going to find them, it is just a matter of time.

He is interrupted by a transporter technician who delivers a package.

“Just got beamed over from the Nautilus,” he explains.

The Nautilus is a small supply ship, used by whoever is patrolling the Neutral Zone at the moment.

Spock is mystified. He didn’t order anything. The package is from a Coridan outfitter for deep space adventure trips.

Spock thinks the Enterprise most likely qualifies in that category.

Inside he finds several pieces of custom made thermal underwear. They don’t look like much. The colour is an unattractive gray, and the material seems far too thin to provide any warmth. Spock lifts them out of the box into the light and notices the faint shimmer of Caworian yak fiber, one of the warmest materials in the known Galaxy.

Spock lifts an eyebrow. The price of Caworian yak fiber is exorbitant.

He examines the box, but there is no note, no explanation.

Of course he suspects that the Captain is behind this. It could be an extravagant way for apologizing. Spock can think of several incidents that might require an apology if Spock considered apologies a logical course of action. Which he does not. And the Captain does not normally apologize. At least not to Spock.

Alternatively it could simply be a gesture of kindness.

Spock considers this unlikely.

He could have asked the Captain, but the garment, once he puts it on, is so comfortable and unobtrusive that he all but forgets about it until one morning he discovers that the temperature of the Enterprise has been raised three degrees.

This is puzzling. The standard temperature on all Federation starships is 21° Celsius. This is optimal for humans but suboptimal for almost any other species.

Spock had submitted a paper, about 4 years ago, when the Enterprise was still under the command of Admiral Pike, detailing his scientific research into the most optimal common temperature range. Spock’s conclusion was, that a general temperature range between 24° to 27° Celsius would be beneficial for most of the species involved.

The paper had been ignored.

Admiral Pike had read it, called it interesting from an inclusive point of view but deemed its implementation a waste of energy resources.

It was one of the few times that Spock had been disappointed by the Admiral, especially because he knew that raising the temperature of a starship to 27° would only pose a 0.00897% increase of its power consumption, negligible at best. It also meant that Pike had skipped several footnotes. He is well aware that there are several species that require significantly lower temperatures than what he proposed. The fact is that only three individuals with these specific needs actually work for Starfleet. All of them are using environmental suits.

Spock had then contemplated to press his point. But on the other hand, no species had ever logged an official complaint and Spock had come away thinking that maybe he was the only one who was cold.

He is not cold anymore, since he is now wearing an extravaganza of fine thermal underwear.

The higher temperature taken into account he is comfortable for the first time in two decades. There are, at first, a few complaints from human crew members - which are quickly stifled when the uniforms are redesigned.

One week later, having completed a full orbit around the Neutral Zone and deep into revising Chekov’s paper on circular wormholes, Spock discovers one evening that the replicator has suddenly acquired a whole new lineup of Vulcan dishes. The quality is astoundingly good.

Later that evening he has a visit from Lieutenant Sulu, who also tinkers with botany. He is flushed and proud and invites Spock to come down to the hydroponics section. There he is presented with the sight of eight plomeek plants. It is the genetically unaltered, Vulcan version, that Spock, and everyone else had believed extinct. The Captain, apparently, has discovered one plant in a backyard garden on Risa, where it had been grown as an ornamental for years. Spock had no idea the Captain could even distinguish a plomeek plant from a Risan Sunspot.

The plants are already producing abundant fruit and Spock is so overcome that everyone present pretends not to look at him.

It occurs to him that the Captain, and possibly Nyota, have been plotting. A benign plot that is designed to impress upon him that he belongs on the Enterprise, that he has a home and that there are people that care about his well-being. People who don’t want him to sacrifice himself for the greater good.

Spock is touched but deems the trouble they went through for his sake unnecessary. He already changed his original parameters to include the protection of both Nyota’s and Jim’s continued happiness. In other words, his personal survival is now a priority, as wrong as it seems, because they consider him important.

Of course, this is something he neglected to communicate to them.

There is a deep weariness at the core of Spock’s being. A vital part of his soul was sucked into the black hole when Vulcan perished. It is not recoverable.

Plomeeks and warmth are not going to change that.

~~~

The next orbit around the Neutral Zone is taking them close to the Klingon border. This is usually as uneventful as a stroll down one of Yorktown’s main promenades, although Spock has warned Starfleet Command that there is a good chance that the Klingons know who tried to retrieve Khan in the Ketha province of the Klingon homeworld several years ago.Consequently the Enterprise should be the last ship patrolling this stretch of the Neutral Zone, to not provoke an incident.

Spock had no admiration for Admiral Marcus’ militarization of Starfleet or for his attempts to goad the Klingons into a war. But he finds, now that Marcus and his ilk is gone, there is little understanding amongst the remaining brass, what a formidable enemy the Klingons really are. Before the Enterprise set out to kill Khan, Marcus had provided them with classified Section 31 reports that detailed not just the Klingons advanced weaponry but also their cutting-edge technology. They are the Federation's equals in technological development, Spock knows. Unfortunately Admiral Nogura and the rest of Starfleet Command still regard the Klingons as primitive warmongers. Nothing could be further from the truth.

It is therefore no surprise to Spock or anyone on board that they are trailed by a Klingon Bird of Prey within minutes of reaching the border. The Klingons have cloaking devices. That they are not using them means, they want to be seen.

After the Klingons appear there is a marked change in the Captain’s demeanor.

A few months ago, before they took the Ambassador and the Admiral on board, there was an incident in the gym. Lieutenant Hendorff had been giving classes in self-defence and martial arts which were popular among Spock’s scientists. The Captain used to attend these classes, too , not always participating, sometimes just watching.

This one time, though, he was spoiling for a fight. It started with him reminding Lieutenant Hendorff, whom the Captain likes to refer to as ‘Cupcake’, of their initial meeting. This is a story, that Spock has heard many a time, but which seemed virtual unknown among the rest of the crew.

_“That was a good fight, Hendorff, wasn’t it”, the Captain crows. “You really gave it to me. Want to show our audience here how it went down?”_

_They have been talking about the art of street fighting. Both the Captain and Lieutenant Hendorff agree that they are talking about a consensual fight, a concept alien to most of the present scientists._

_“Why would you fight if you don’t have to?” Lieutenant Sievers, one of Spock’s most talented Astrophysicists asks._

_The Captain and Lieutenant Hendorff look at each other and grin._

_The crew present has already, unconsciously formed a circle around the two men, and Spock, standing at the outskirts cringes, because it’s obvious where this is headed._

_The Captain continues to gently goad Hendorff, who obviously relishes the idea of giving it to his Captain one more time. They start to circle each other._

_“Can’t do, Captain Sir,” Hendorff calls out, “I don’t want to end up in the brig.”_

_“Oh, come on Cupcake,” the Captain says, his eyes already glazing over slightly, ”It’s all among friends. I promise I won’t throw you in the brig. Or are you afraid?”_

_They go at each other after that, fists flying, all rules off. It is clear that the Captain was not the only one looking for a ‘good fight’. Lieutenant Hendorff seems to suffer from an unhealthy buildup of frustration, too._

_It is an ugly fight and they are only in 30 seconds before the circle widens and there are shocked exclamations from the bystanders. At the two minute mark one of the ensigns in the front row gets spattered with the Captain’s blood and ten seconds later Spock steps into the circle to end the fight._

_The two men are circling each other again like mad bulls. The Captain becomes aware of Spock out of the corner of his eye and raises his hand._

_“We’re okay, Spock. I have it under control.”_

_Spock hesitates._

_He looks at the Captain’s flushed face, his glazed eyes. Lieutenant Hendorff is not faring much better._

_Then they are at it again._

_Spock itches to end the fight, which he could easily do, but some instinct, which has little to do with logic, tells him to leave them alone._

_In the end the Captain is down on the mat, the Lieutenant lying half on him, holding him in a headlock. He is bleeding from his nose and gashes in his forehead and his lips. Several of the onlookers have left and Spock makes a mental note to check the psychological profiles of those still standing by and watching, fascinated._

_The Captain surrenders and they break it off, Lieutenant Hendorff helping him on his feet, looking worried. The Captain stands there, swaying for a moment, a grin spreading across his face. Then he claps Hendorff on the shoulder and tells him that he’s the best qualified fighter on the ship and a good buddy to boot. Hendorff looks around, delighted and there is scattered applause._

_Spock takes the Captain’s arm in a vice-like grip and maneuvers him to sick bay._

_“Hey, Spock. That fight just there was consensual. What you’re doing now is not. Let’s go and have a drink.”_

_The Captain’s voice is slurred._

_“You are setting a bad example for the crew,” Spock hisses, as furious as he ever gets._

_“Oh, no, Spock, see, you don’t get it,”  the Captain answers. “I’m setting an excellent example for the crew. Just letting off some steam. Nobody gets hurt.”_

_“You are telling your crew that violence is an acceptable means of recreation.”_

_“Fuck, Spock, you are such a robot…”_

_Spock feels like hitting the Captain himself but manages to fight the urge._

_Later, in sick bay he asks the Doctor if this is still a side effect of Khan’s blood, but the good Doctor looks at Spock with pity and says:_

_“No, Spock, that’s just Jim.”_

_When the Captain takes off his shirt bruises become visible. The worst ones are the black imprints of Spock’s fingers on his right biceps._

Afterwards the Captain had a drink with Hendorff and several other members of security. In the days afterwards Spock noticed security approaching the Captain with deepened respect. It becomes clear, on subsequent away missions, that they would literally follow the Captain to the gates of hell and beyond. Lieutenant Hendorff is good naturedly teased that the Captain let him win and everyone seems happy.

Spock has the feeling that some sort of bonding has gone on that completely mystifies him.

It has to be noted that several of Spock’s scientists are appalled by the Captain’s behaviour and there are a few transfers to other vessels.

As a consequence Spock forbids the Captain to engage in any more fights with members of the crew. The Captain complies, muttering about who the heck gives Spock the authority to forbid him anything. After that things go back to normal.

If you call the Captain restlessly prowling the ship normal.

“It’s really no wonder, Spock,” Nyota says. “Carol transferred out six months ago. I knew something like this would happen sooner or later.”

“I fail to see the connection.”

Nyota looks at her lover closely.

“You fail to see the connection? You know the Captain. And we haven’t had shore leave since before then. What is he supposed to do with all this pent-up energy?”

When Spock still looks at her, uncomprehendingly, she sighs and says:

“Jim is a healthy human male in his prime. He needs an intimate relationship. This is not healthy for him.”

Spock thinks about this for a moment. The Vulcan procreational drive is markedly different from the human one. The closest correlation would probably be the Pon Farr, which Spock has experienced three times in his life. Unfortunately his betrothed, T’Pring perished with Vulcan and he is unsure if he can survive the next cycle. It is not something he has discussed with Nyota, who is unaware. The Pon Farr can only be relieved through mating or excessive violence and the similarity with the Captain’s condition is immediately obvious.

A small sound of surprise escapes him.

“See,” Nyota says, “I really don’t know what to do with him.”

What to do with the Captain remains an unsolved mystery. After Carol transferred, supposedly because her scientific ambitions could not be fulfilled on the Enterprise, Nyota tried to set him up with Yeoman Janice Rand, who is young, pretty, uncomplicated and adores the Captain.

But after Carol the Captain acts as if having intimate relations with a member of the crew is unheard of, even inadvisable or unethical. In fact, almost all Captains have a significant other among the crew and there is no Starfleet regulation to prohibit it.

Nyota thinks that in this case Spock, with his inhuman restraint and resulting ethics, has an unhealthy influence on his superior officer. Jim is not a Vulcan. But try to explain that to Spock.

So, now they have a Klingon Bird of Prey, stalking them from just across the Neutral Zone and the Captain is smelling blood.

~~~

There is a small planetoid just inside the Neutral Zone. It is inhabited by a colony of Tellarites, established several decades before the Neutral Zone even was proposed. Tellar Senary is wedged in between Romulan space, the Federation and the Klingons. There are frequent problems with incursions, raids and the delivery of supplies. In all this the Tellarites are thriving. There is a steady stream of complaints about Romulan and Klingon conduct aimed at the Federation, of which Tellar Senary is technically a member, and a steady stream of insults directed towards the Romulans and the Klingons, to which the Romulans reply with cold threats, and the Klingons with saber rattling and more insults.

Tellar Senary survives all this, having cultivated the art of not getting along with anyone, by having insinuated themselves into every influential political faction across the quadrant. So far nobody wants to harm the colony and thereby provoke a far reaching political and military incident.

It is the only inhabited world for several light years and the Captain seems to think it is perfect for a few days of shore leave. Spock begs to differ but he was not asked.

The negotiations about how many crewmembers can take shore leave, when and where, and what resources and services are required, takes a full two days. The Captain, who usually shies away from all diplomatic functions, seems to enjoy the Tellarite bickering, complaining and insulting.

The Captain is in the third group which beams down, together with several members of security, while Spock decides to stay on the ship, mind the conn and spend some time with Nyota.

It seems like an excellent idea, apart from fact that the Captain only spends two hours on the planetoid until he gets kidnapped by Klingons.

They are hailed by the Klingon ship, the Gr’oth, and Spock is greeted by a picture of the Klingon bridge, in half-darkness, it’s commander seated on his chair on a raised platform. Jim is lying at his feet, unconscious, his head resting in a pool of blood.

Spock feels his insides clench.

There is a shocked exclamation from the Doctor, who is standing right behind him and a tiny sound from Nyota’s direction, that only Spock, with his Vulcan ears can pick out.

The Klingon commander rests his chin on his hand and smiles. It would have looked rather charming, even for a Klingon, if it were not for the abused Starfleet Captain at his feet.

“Ah, the other side of the coin,” the Klingon says in cultivated Standard with only a trace of a harsher accent.

“Kirk and Spock. Number one enemies of the Empire. Give yourself up now, Commander Spock and I will think about letting your crew go.”

Spock looks at the viewscreen without a trace of emotion.

“To whom do I have the pleasure of speaking?”

“I am Koloth, Captain of the Gr’oth.”

“And what are your plans once you have both of us in your hand?” Spock asks reasonably.

Jim is not moving, although Spock can detect the slight raise and fall of his chest.

Koloth leans forward.

“I will torture you. Then I will take you to Qo’noS to stand trial as enemies of the Klingon people. You will be sentenced to our most notorious penal colony. Then I will torture you some more.”

He shifts in his chair as if the mere thought gives him pleasure.

“Spock.”

The Doctor’s voice behind him, horrified.

“Not now, Doctor, if you please,” Spock says.

“By God, man, that’s Jim...”

“I am aware, Doctor.”

“Once you have been exposed as what you are, agents of perpetrating a genocide against the Klingon people, maybe war against the Federation can be avoided.”

He shifts again and prods Jim with his foot.

“Don’t worry, I would never kill your Captain. It would deprive me of the pleasure of hurting him.”

He summons one of his lieutenants who delivers several vicious kicks to the Captain’s body.

“BIHnuch! 'IqnaH QaD!” the Klingon growls.

The Captain regains consciousness, curls up and tries to protect himself with hands that are covered in blood.

Koloth leans forward, buries his hand in the Captain’s hair and yanks up his head, displaying his bloody face to everyone on the bridge of the Enterprise to see.

“So much suffering,” he says, admiringly.

He lets Jim go and the Captain, only half conscious, tries to scramble to his feet.

Koloth looks at Spock across the viewscreen, motioning some of his thugs.

“Your Captain does not like to surrender. So we will beat him until he does.”

The Captain is on his knees, when he is hauled up by one of the Klingons.

“Terminate the connection, Lieutenant Uhura,” Spock says.

“Sir?” Nyota protests.

A Klingon fist connects with the Captain’s face and blood flies.

There is a collective gasp from the Enterprise bridge crew and Spock makes a decisive gesture with his hand.

“Terminate the connection!”

The picture on the viewscreen winks out and is replaced by an outside view of the Gr’oth.

There is stunned silence.

Spock gets up and straightens his uniform.

“Mr. Sulu, you have the conn.”

“Aye, sir.”

“My God, Spock, what are you doing? Are you just…?”

“Mr Sulu, I will follow Captain Koloth’s request and beam over to the Klingon ship. Retreat to a safe distance and inform Starfleet command. Try to avert a fight at any cost.”

Sulu’s face grows tight with strain.

“Yes, sir.”

Spock turns and enters the turbolift, his eyes locking with Nyota’s for a moment. The Doctor slips in before the doors close.

~~~

The Doctor’s emotional barrage was so hard to bear that Spock almost looks forward to the Klingons. He rematerializes on a Klingon transporter pad and almost immediately he is grabbed and pushed to his knees. He does not resist when shackles are fastened around his wrists and ankles. Then he is hauled up again and, stumbling because of the short chain between his feet, shoved through the dank corridors of the Gr’oth.

It is hard to preserve his balance while being chained and Spock falls several times, each time being brought to his feet again by savage kicks with Klingon steel boots. It is undignified, but dignity is the last thing on his mind

~~~

“That was easy,” Koloth says with suspicion when Spock is thrown before his feet.

Spock’s hands are behind his back and he cannot break his fall. He crashes painfully to the deck, ending up at Koloth’s feet.

The Captain is conscious and his eyes widen in shock when he sees Spock.

Spock scoots closer and the Captain grabs his arm.

_The ship is safe, Jim. The ship is safe._

Somehow the Captain seems to get the message because worry leaches out of him and he looks at Spock with swollen eyes.

A shadow of cocky reassurance and a self deprecating grin float into Spock's mind.

His Captain is beaten, but not broken.

“How touching,” Koloth remarks, the same note of suspicion in his voice.

Spock manages to get up, his movement strangely elegant despite the chains. He stands over his fallen Captain

“Qa'Hom!” he spits. “Hab SoSlI' Quch!”

A look of delighted rage crosses Koloth’s features.

“Baktag veQ!” he yells.

~~~

   

Koloth looks at his two prisoners.

They are splayed at his feet like the worthless slaves that they are.

 _By Kahless_ , he thinks, _wouldn’t it be glorious to convince the High Council to make them my slaves. I could watch their humiliation every day._

It would be satisfying. For years now it has been clear that there are forces in the Federation working on the extermination of the Klingon race. Those two are believed to be the main henchmen. They should eat dirt. They should spend the rest of their days bent over in bondage. Oh, Koloth will make sure that they will live to suffer.

And yet, there is a strange undercurrent of admiration in Koloth’s thoughts. Has not the Vulcan hurled the most powerful and exquisite insults at him in flawless Klingon? Has he not risen again and again despite the blows, despite the blood running in green rivers off him? Has he not, despite being chained in the most humiliating manner, like a coward deserves, unable to even use his hands, felled two of Koloth’s men? Have his eyes not glowed red, like the eyes of the Fek'lhr? And while Koloth admired the spirit of the human, who got up, again and again, despite his inferior strength, like a vicious, buzzing pherza, not heeding his injuries until he lost consciousness, the Vulcan was even more glorious. It is curious that he gave himself into their hands so easily, almost as if he believed the offer of peace.

Koloth looks at the viewscreen which still displays the Enterprise, gleaming white in the dark of space. Shall he engage or shall he wait? After all he has his prisoners to amuse himself with.

The Vulcan, before he was finally beaten into unconsciousness, hurled the worst insults at Koloth. That he was a coward for fighting those in bondage. That it was unbecoming for a warrior to use superior numbers to fight one being. That Koloth himself is a weakling who lets others do his fighting for him.

Koloth thinks the Vulcan is right. The adversaries have proofed themselves worthy. They deserve an honourable fight.

ooo

The darkness that swallowed Vulcan has claimed Spock, too. Or so he thinks until a persistent voice interrupts the dark again and again. Spock opens his eyes.

The light is not bright and inviting like on the Enterprise. There are shadows, dark and tinged with red.

Spock is lying on the deck. The metal is warm and carries a light vibration. His head is pillowed in Jim's lap and Jim looks down at him, a worried expression on his face.

“Thank God, Spock. I thought you had gone into the trance.”

He hits the device he holds with his flat hand.

“Piece of Klingon garbage,” he mutters. “Wait a moment. I almost have it.”

The Klingon tricorder spits out a string of data and Jim studies it with narrowed eyes. His face is still swollen but most of the blood has been cleaned away and some of the damage has been repaired.

“Dammit, Spock, you have no heartbeat. What is it with you Vulcans?”

Spock takes the device and recalibrates it with trembling fingers.

“Your hands are shaking,” Jim says, worried.

“It is… “, Spock begins and then redirects. He was going to add ‘of no consequence’ but knows the Captain would take that badly.

“... nothing to worry about.”

The Captain looks even more worried. Regrettably he is getting to know Spock too well.

Spock has been displaying signs of beginning Pon Farr for a few weeks, now. He does not know how long it will take until the Plak Tow is upon him,but the Klingon beatings have stirred his blood and it took all of his self control to hold back.

“So where’s that bloody heartbeat?”

“Here, Captain.”

Spock points to one of the columns and Jim snorts.

“That’s not the heartbeat.”

He narrows his eyes again.

“It says… coronary redirection factor? What's that supposed to mean?

“It refers to Klingon physiology. It is not applicable to Vulcans. The tricorder is merely confused because of my hybrid physiology. It does not recognize me as a known species.”

The Captain looks at him and Spock feels his hand tighten on Spock’s shoulder.

“228 beats per minute?”

“Quite normal. It would be even higher for a full Vulcan.”

“Shit, Spock, your hormones are way off. What the fuck…?”

“Undoubtedly an error in the tricorder’s matrix,” Spock says and instantly knows that he made a mistake. He is more affected than he had realized.

The Captain puts down the tricorder and starts to calibrate a klingon style dermal regenerator.

“Not sure this will work,” he mumbles, “You might end up with Klingon ridges.”

“It seems to have worked well enough on your injuries.”

“Huh, yeah,” Jim mumbles and rubs a tender spot on his chin. “Turn your head to the side.”

He parts Spock’s hair and runs the dermal regenerator over an oozing head injury.

“What is going on with you, Spock.”

“Apart from the obvious…”

“You’ve been off for a while now. Not sure anyone else but Uhura and me noticed, but I want to know what's going on. And I know you’re strong, but you almost killed that last Klingon, and you had you hands tied behind your back.”

For a while there is only the light hum of the regenerator. Spock’s throat is tight with shame. He does not know if he will be able to speak but the Captain deserves the truth.

“It is not something we discuss with outworlders…”

“I see.”

“It is shameful. A return to our basest instincts. We lose all reason.”

“Spock, I’ve seen you lose all reason on at least two occasions. How is this any different?”

Spock grows tight and rigid under Jim’s hands. He pushes himself up, away from his Captain and leans against the wall. He is unwell and he can feel the fever of the Plak Tow coursing through his blood.

“It is the Pon Farr.”

“Oh, Bones was talking about this the other day. He was looking for more information from the Vulcan Science Academy. But he was told… they don’t give this information to… outworlders? I don't understand, Spock.”

Spock tries to explain the deep cultural taboo that is connected with the Pon Farr but words fail him. In the end it is the break in his voice that tells Jim more than his actual words.

“Mating or violence, huh? Is fighting Klingons good enough?”

“I would have to kill.”

“That’s not exactly an option right now. We could start a war. Can you control it?”

“Up until a point,” Spock whispers.

“Well, hang on, then, when we’re back on the Enterprise… I mean, this is not fatal or anything, is it? You just need to get rid of those primal urges, right?”

Spock closes his eyes.

“Shit, Spock, tell me you’re not gonna die!”

“Captain, this… curse… comes over a Vulcan every seven years of his life. In the regular course of things I would mate with my betrothed and no harm would be done.”

“Uhura…”

“The mating requires a specific telepathic bond that I cannot force upon another.”

“Force? Uhura would be happy…”

“Nyota would save my life to the detriment of her own well being and wishes. I cannot ask this of her.”

Spock sees a, by now, well-known expression cross the Captain's face, the one that says, although the situation is dire, death is not an option. He is suddenly glad that he he does not have to face this on his own as he had planned to.

Mating with T’Pring had been an unpleasant duty on her part. An incompatibility in their minds had made the telepathic bond painful, something she ascribed to his hybrid physiology. Spock cannot even contemplate inflicting similar pain on Nyota, he would rather die. That his death would hurt her, too, he knows, but considers it a lesser evil.

The Captain continues his work with the dermal regenerator and Spock is grateful for his silence.

~~~

“Fuck Koloth’s gladiator games,” Jim mumbles.

He is bent over, breathing hard. His face is a map of new bruises and the knuckles of both his hands are bleeding. He holds himself upright with difficulty.

Spock put a steadying hand on his shoulder.

“I’m getting really tired of this, Spock. I don't want to be in another fight for the rest of my life.”

The Klingons could have maimed or killed them several times over, but have apparently decided they want to know how often they can knock out their prisoners before they don't get up again. Jim is clearly at the end of his rope. Spock, himself is holding back by a thread, knowing that if he gives in to his biology there will be casualties.

Koloth is standing in the middle of a circle of Klingon warriors. He has gone several rounds himself and he barely carries a mark. Now he declares that Klingon to human is an unfair fight. “Let them fight against each other,” he shouts.

Spock’s hand drops from his Captain's shoulder.

“No,” he says, softly.

“Today we’ve had our fun. Let them lick their wounds. They will fight tomorrow, fresh and rested.”

A roar of approval rises from the crowd.

~~~

By the next day Spock is so deeply into the blood fever that his sight is obscured by a red haze. The Captain is keeping a careful distance not daring to touch him.

“Are you okay, Spock?” he whispers when they are led into the ship's arena, but Spock can't answer. He has steepled his hands before his face, trailing the chains that the Klingons put on him, trying to control himself by a last ditch effort of meditation. He is not successful.

His thoughts have lost their grasp on reality and all he really knows is that he has two options - attack the Klingons and do as much damage as possible, incite a war - or fight his Captain.

The roar of Klingon voices rises around him and he sees Koloth standing in the middle of the arena. When they are brought before him, Spock drops to his knees in submission, the chains clanking. He knows this will likely not work on a Klingon, but it is the only path left to save Jim’s life. He does not remember later what he said, the words come tumbling out, the Klingon sounds slurred. He is begging.

He knows that Jim understands. They have all been taking lessons from Uhura since the disaster in the Katha province, and he sees the shock on his face.

But Koloth only laughs.

They are led to the platform, inside a forcefield and Jim is instructed to take off Spock's chains. Wearily they circle each other. Jim says something but Spock is beyond understanding. The blood is roaring in his ears when Jim attacks. He catches him easily and slams him into the floor, feeling bone break. That's when he loses the rest of reason and conscious control. The Plak Tow swallows him whole.

Much later, it seems, he is kneeling in the middle of the arena. A dead silence has descended on the Klingon crowd. Two discarded bath’leths that Spock does not remember they’ve been using, are lying nearby, covered in blood.

Jim’s body is under him. Twisted, lifeless, and Spock unwraps his hands from his Captain's neck. In desperate sorrow he touches his hand to Jim's face but cannot detect the stirrings of the katra.

The Plak Tow has passed. Spock is in full possession of his mental faculties, but the price has been his Captain’s life.

A sound escapes him, turns into a scream that bounces of the deck and ceiling of the arena and is taken up by the Klingon warriors. Their heads laid back, they howl at the invisible sky, honouring the dead.

~~~

Jim pulls the sheet from his face and tries to get his bearings. This is not the Gr’oth. He is back on the Enterprise.

He is nauseous and there is the taste of blood in his mouth. He touches his neck, still tender, but the pain rapidly fading.

He would have expected Bones to figure out what was going on, but maybe it's his own fault. He has known all along that Khan's blood did something to him, but has been too ashamed and too afraid of possible repercussions to confide in anyone.

He sits up and swings his feet over the side of the biobed and is suddenly and violently sick, heaving onto the floor. The result looks like half digested Gagh, the last meal the Klingons fed them.

He can hear voices, far away and concludes that he is in the back of sick bay where Bones puts patients in isolation. A curtain is drawn around the biobed.

He tries to get up, but his legs are too shaky.

There is a small sound and Uhura slips through the curtains, stopping dead when she sees him. She has been crying and her cheeks are tear streaked.

“Jim,” she whispers in complete disbelief.

“It’s okay,” he croaks, “I’m alive.”

She carefully comes closer, as if he is a dangerous animal and not her Captain, first touching his arm, as if to test that he is solid, then taking his face between her hands.

“Jim.”

She almost starts to cry again.

Then she turns on the screen behind the biobed and checks out his vital signs, wiping at her eyes.

“Holy shit,” she mutters. Jim has never heard her swear before.

He lets himself be cradled in her arms because he still feels like shit and she smells so good. She goes so far as to place a kiss on his forehead and another one on his hair.

“Yuck,” she says, “You smell like a horde of slime-devils.”

He has to laugh.

Then, with another look at the vital signs the holds him at arm's length.

“How’s Spock. Is he okay?” he asks anxiously.

She looks at him, her eyes dark.

“No, Jim, he’s not okay. He thinks he killed you.”

A fresh tear spills from her eyes.

“He thinks his life is over.”

Jim’s throat grows tight.

“Where is he?”

“Security beamed him directly to the brig from the transporter room. The Klingons said he was like a wild animal. They put him in chains. Nobody wanted to take a chance,” she says, her voice shaking.”

“What? He needs a doctor! Where’s Bones?”

“In his quarters with the last bottle of Saurian Brandy. He says he lost two friends and not to call him until doomsday.”

“And Boyce, M’Benga?”

“The Admiral and the Ambassador are trying to explain to them what Pon Farr is.”

Jim is relieved.

“You know about the Pon Farr?”

She nods.

“Ambassador Sarek told me what to expect before we left on the mission. I was waiting for Spock to tell me himself, but… “

“Yeah, I think Spock was going to die before he told anyone. Fuck Vulcan pride.”

She sits beside him and puts an arm around him. He leans into her, grateful for the support.

“How many people know? Can this be contained?”

“I think so. Just the Ambassador, the Admiral, the Doctors. Chekov was at the transporter controls. Cupcake and his security detail, but they’re keeping it quiet. And Sulu, of course. We couldn't say anything, yet. It was not clear what had happened. The rest of the crew thinks you and Spock are in sickbay being checked out.”

The curtain is being drawn aside and then the Admiral’s voice says:

“By God, son, how did you pull that off?”

~~~

Jim uses the security override on Bones’ quarters. He finds him on the couch, the unopened bottle of Saurian Brandy on the table. He sits hunched over, elbows on his knees, weeping. He doesn't notice Jim.

For a moment Jim doesn't know what to do. He thinks his heart is going to break if he has to look at his friend like this one moment longer.

“Bones,” he says, softly.

Bones head snaps up. Then his jaw falls open. He gets up as if he just discovered a boa constrictor on the floor beside him and his hand fumbles for his tricorder without taking his eyes off Jim. He pulls the sensor off the docket and gives the apparition before him a long scan. Then he inches closer, walking around Jim, passing the sensor close by his body.

Finally he puts it back in the docket, sets down the device and rounds on Jim with a sneer.

“I will never forgive you for this! You are not my friend any more! How long have you known that Khan’s blood is still effective?”

Then he pulls Jim into a bear hug.

~~~

It takes the combined effort of the Ambassador, the Admiral and Uhura to explain Pon Farr to the Doctor and convince him that Spock hasn't suddenly turned into a psychopathic murderer.

“Fine, okay,” he finally mutters. “Just like the Vulcans to keep secrets like that. I guess now we have to put him out of his misery. Where’d Jim go?”

~~~

Jim has put on a new uniform and limped down to the brig, where he dismisses a stunned Lieutenant Hendorff and the rest of security. Then he walks over and disables the forcefield on Spock's cell.

Spock sits on the floor, restraints fastened around his ankles and wrists. His hair is dishevelled.

He lifts his head and his dark eyes widen. It is the only visible reaction.

Jim kneels beside him and removes the restraints, casting them aside. Then he sits down beside his First Officer and friend, their shoulders touching.

“I’m sorry, Spock. I had no idea how to deal with this. I figured if you hit me with that bath’leth I’d be dead, but if I could get you into hand to hand combat I had a chance.”

“I was not aware that you were still under the influence of Khan’s blood.”

Spock's voice is steady and cool.

“I kept it a secret. After what happened with section 31 I got a bit paranoid. I’m sorry, Spock.”

“I fail to see why you are apologizing to me Captain. It is I who is to blame. I killed my Captain. That you are still alive is merely luck. I will await your decision when a court-martial can be conducted.”

“Court-martial…”

“I am, of course, overjoyed that you are still alive. I regret that I will have to leave the Enterprise… “

He doesn’t finish the sentence

Jim almost puts an arm around Spock's shoulders but then thinks better of it.

“The Pon Farr is over?”

“Yes, Jim.”

“You followed me into captivity so I would not have to face things alone. I’m not going to court-martial you because of your wacked up biology. Let’s just be smart about this the next time?”

Spock shakes his head.

“Uhura knows.”

“Nyota knows?” he whispers.

“Your father told her. She was waiting for you to tell her yourself, okay? Spock, you have a kick-ass girlfriend. She’s not a delicate flower to be protected. Talk to her. She can take it.”

Spock is shaking his head again but Jim has the feeling he got through.

“Just to clarify the situation, the Pon Farr means sex or excessive violence, right? It doesn't mean excessively violent sex?”

There is a ghost of a smile around Spock’s pale lips.

“No,” he says, “No violent sex.”

“Good. That should be alright then. You look like death warmed over, Spock. I’m getting you to sickbay.”

He gets up and offers Spock a hand.

“Anyway, it's all my fault for thinking it was a good idea to take shore leave in the middle of the Neutral Zone. Next time I come up with a bright idea like this, just relieve me of command, okay?”

~~~

Two days later they’re back on patrol. The Gr’oth is gone. The Klingons are keeping quiet. So far, so good, Spock thinks. He is still struggling to get his equilibrium back.

The Doctor grumbles about Jim having achieved superpowers and that they have to keep this information from getting into section 31’s hands at all costs. It is clear, though, that the ability of Jim’s body to heal itself has been declining over the past 4 years. Eventually everything might go back to normal. If normal is a word that can be applied to the Captain.

Spock’s Captain is on the bridge as if nothing happened. He is bright-eyed and even-tempered and if he has dark shadows under his eyes that is neither here nor there. For the moment the fight has gone out of him, but Starfleet Command has somehow gotten the impression that they’re both diplomatic wizards because they got out of the Gr’oth situation without starting a war. Consequently they are expected to patrol the Neutral Zone for longer than was originally planned. Spock knows that sooner or later his Captain will be back to restlessly prowling the corridors of the ship.

“I thought we were playing chess, Spock. Why did you want to meet me in the gym?”

“It is my plan to alternate our chess games with lessons in Suus Mahna.”

“Vulcan Martial arts? Cool.”

“Suus Mahna takes many years to master. I have…”

“Stop talking, Spock. I need to blow off some steam. Let’s get going!”

Spock thinks that if his Captain needs to fight, this will be a better way to channel his energy. All around, if the Captain gets hurt, maybe it is better that Spock does it.

The Captain grins at him.

Spock sighs.


End file.
